


the first game

by spicecandy



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-13
Updated: 2012-07-13
Packaged: 2017-11-09 21:13:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/458497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spicecandy/pseuds/spicecandy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Fourteen days ago, I saw a giant chess set in a local park. It was a new addition. I moved a white piece. I went back the next day at the same time, and someone had moved a black piece. for the past fourteen days, I have been playing chess with a complete stranger. MLIA.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	the first game

**Author's Note:**

> written for poisontea.livejournal.com a long, long time ago

Joshua liked parks. He'd sit for hours on a bench and watch as people walked by, trapped in their own little worlds, barely noticing where they were, let alone that some strange boy was staring at them as they walked past. He had a particular affinity for one park near the eastern end of Shibuya. It was small, overwrought with trees that should never have grown anywhere near Shibuya and, through absolutely no subtle suggesting on Joshua's part, had recently obtained an almost life-size chess set. 

So, almost every day, Joshua would go to the park, sit on the bench across from the chess set, and watch. He'd watch as people walked by, completely absorbed in themselves, ignoring the giant novelty right next to them. It was frustrating, really, but helpfully affirming of his plan. 

Until the kid with the headphones showed up. 

It was a Friday afternoon, sunny and clear, the light shining through the trees to create patterns on the huge chess pieces. Joshua had been almost ready to leave, fed up with the world for the day, when he'd spotted him, walking along the path, at first just another microscopic world, caught up in the music piping only into his own ears. 

And then he'd stopped. Joshua watched him with interest as he walked the few steps over to the chess set. Then, without seeming to put much thought into it, the kid moved a piece. A white pawn, two spaces forward, before turning and continuing on his way. 

Joshua smiled, rose from the bench, and left, but not without ensuring that a black pawn was put to work shuffling its way forward one solitary space.


End file.
